


sometimes i wish  (we never built this palace)

by K9_DFTBA



Series: palace [1]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Defenders (Marvel TV), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: 5+1 Things, Dialogue Heavy, Happy Ending, Healing, M/M, Monologue, Not Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Pre-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Press and Tabloids, Protective Wade Wilson, References to Avengers 1 and Iron Man 1, Sokovia Accords, Speeches, Team Dynamics, Team as Family, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony-centric, YOU decide!!!, Young Charles and Erik, but who will win his heart???, lots of boys woo Tony Stark, pulls heavily from civil war novelization, seriously two chapters are basically just monologues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2018-06-16
Packaged: 2019-05-19 03:32:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14865804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/K9_DFTBA/pseuds/K9_DFTBA
Summary: 5 times the Ex-vengers were confronted by Tony's new life, plus 1 time they understood what it meant.





	1. they will love (a better you)

**Author's Note:**

> I just really want Tony Stark to have love and support, okay???? I kept having these scenes pop into my head abt Team Cap being rlly confused by Tony having like,,,, a good life. And then, I realized I could make them all one thing!!! So here is the thing!!!

The sound of footfalls on pavement was the only sound echoing through the courtyard of the Avengers compound. The Dora Milaje formed a semicircle in front of the former Avengers, putting on a good show of protecting the king, when in reality they were tasked with watching the former Avengers.

T’Challa walked several yards in front of them, approaching the compound doors confidently. Access to the compound was closely monitored, so Steve and Natasha assumed they would have to wait to be given access, but were surprised when, instead, T’Challa flashed a holographic ID card to a camera above the doors, and they were allowed to enter.

“King T’Challa,” FRIDAY greeted, warmly, “I’m afraid Boss is dealing with a personal matter right now, but he will be in shortly to—“

FRIDAY cut off, and there was a short moment of silence before chaos erupted in the entryway. First, there was the jingling of metal, and the racket of claws on hard flooring, and then:

“STEVEN!”

Steve stood to attention, confused but ready for a fight, as Tony’s voice rang through the compound. But, it quickly became apparent that Tony was not talking to him, as he finally came into view, sprinting after a large black dog.

“STEPHEN! Catch the damn dog!”

Just as Tony passed T’Challa and the former Avengers, an orange portal opened beside him, and a curly haired man stepped out.

“I’m trying!” The man, Stephen, exclaimed, sharply, as he stepped back through the portal, another one quickly opening further down the hall.

This time, he seemed to have appeared in the right place, and the dog skidded to a stop in front of him, panting. Stephen raised his hands, as if in surrender, moving forward very slowly.

“Alright, girl…” he began.

“She’s dripping all over my floor!” Tony screeched, quietly.

The wet, clearly freshly washed, dog’s ears perked up, and she turned her head suddenly, looking at Tony intently. Tony quickly paled.

“Oh, shit.”

Stephen dove past the dog, towards Tony, bringing up his cloak to shield them both. The dog shook wildly, spraying water in every direction. When she finally stilled, Stephen slowly lowered the cloak, eying the dog wearily.

“Little shit knows exactly what she’s doing,” Tony said, scowling.

The dog barked, once, as if in reply, and then began panting happily, tongue dangling out of her mouth. Stephen laughed, loudly, warmth lighting up his eyes. Tony rolled his eyes, not covering up the fondness within them, and held out the end of the leash he was holding.

“You’ve had your fun, dear, c’mon,” he said, gesturing for the dog to come to him.

She did, without protest, and he slipped the leash onto her collar. As he straightened back up, T’Challa cleared his throat, drawing their attention.

“T’Challa!” Tony’s exclaimed, seeming genuinely pleased to see the king.

A smile grew on T’Challa’s face as they met for a handshake, which quickly devolved into a hug.

“FRI, you didn’t tell me they were here,” Tony said to his AI, inquiry clear in his voice.

“You were otherwise occupied, Boss,” she replied, amused.

Tony smiled sheepishly.

“Sorry about that. My protégé found her in front of Stephen’s sanctum, and fell in love. Now I have to keep her around, lest I break his heart,” he commented lightheartedly, passing the leash off to Stephen in a familiar gesture.

Tony opened his mouth to continue speaking, but was cut off by another throat clearing, this time, by Steve. Slowly, Tony’s eyes moved over to him. He pulled his yellow aviator sunglasses down, and peered over them, as if to see him better.

“Oh, that’s so not my job,” he declared, condescendingly.

Just as he said it, a sharply-dressed woman with a sleek black bob walked into the entryway.

“No, it’s mine,” she said, formally.

“Hope,” he said, relief evident in his voice.

She came to stand next to him, looping and arm through his.

“This is Hope Pym, she’s currently acting as my P.A., as well as being an active member of the New Avengers roster,” he introduced.

She reached out to shake King T’Challa’s hand, before nodding detachedly to the rest of the room.

“Pym? Is it sound business practice to trust your rival’s daughter?” Natasha said, disapproval subtle, but evident, clearly hoping to catch him in a fuck-up.

“Hope Pym neé van Dyne, Miss Romanov,” she said, with a finality that suggested this explained everything.

“Hope’s mother, Janet van Dyne, was a close friend,” Tony explained, to T’Challa rather than the rest of the room.

T’Challa nodded, sympathy clear in his eyes, having noticed the use of past tense, but not wanting to derail the conversation further. Hope returned the gesture.

“Moving on to business,” she said, pointedly, “the fleet of cars that will take us into the city will arrive after training, as scheduled. Once in the city, there will be a meeting with the ground teams at Stark Tower.”

She turned to Tony.

“Give Spider-Man a call and warn him there will be company,” she said, and then pointed to Stephen, “Don’t distract him before he makes the call,” she demanded, vaguely threatening.

“Yes ma’am,” Stephen replied, a haughty smirk tugging at his lips.  

She rolled her eyes, before turning to look at Steve levelly, eyes largely devoid of emotion.

“Mr. Rogers, after the meeting, you and your team will be taken to your accommodations. You will be given a schedule of events during the negotiation period. I would suggest deciding which representatives attend each event with your legal advisors. There will be staff on hand to answer questions and to assist in arranging transportation. King T’Challa,” she said, moving straight along to leave no room for argument, “you may of course send as many of you Dora Milaje as you deem necessary, but, otherwise, both you and your guards are invited to stay at Stark Tower with the rest of us,” She said, smile creeping onto her face, a bit wicked, “Now, we are about to have an open training session. I hope you brought your gear. FRIDAY, show them the way, please.”

As she said this, lights lit on the floor, setting the path to the gym.

“Thank you, Miss van Dyne,” T’Challa said sincerely, showing respect in the hope of setting an example for the former Avengers.

She inclined her head in acceptance, hanging back with Tony as they, at last, moved on, giving her, Tony, and Stephen a moment of privacy.

“Thank you, Hope. Why are you my P.A., again? You have more important things to handle than their damn schedules,” Tony said, scowling.

"Don't think I'm doing this for free; Your last P.A. became CEO, I expect at least my own department," she said, with a sly grin, before sobering, “In all seriousness, Tony, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep them away from you. I know it isn't my job to babysit them, but it isn't yours either. Not anymore,” she said, a determined set to her jaw.

“I certainly approve,” Stephen said, causing Tony to grumble indignantly.

“Let’s head to the gym. I, for one, am looking forward to showing these assholes up. Let’s show them what a real team looks like.”

* * *

 

Natasha was doing the splits, stretching deftly as Steve moved to slip on his cowl.

“That was… strange,” she said, carefully, measured.

“How do you mean?” Steve asked, turning to face her.

She stood, shifting into a lunge, and then a deeper lunge, before replying.

“A dog, a protégé. A rapport with both a sorcerer and a known enemy. T’Challa having an access card,” she listed.

“What does it mean?” Steve asked.

She fell with a thud into the next stretch, one leg stretched out behind her gracefully.

“I don’t know, Steve. I don’t know."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This whole work is done, and it's a little over 10k. I'll probably update once a day bc I'm impatient.  
> As noted in the tags, there's potential for upwards of four ships. Right now, it's endgame Stephen/Tony, but I could be convinced to rewrite the ending... Talk to me about it in the comments, if you like! Or, if you're particularly passionate, you can [message](http://imsupposedtobewriting.tumblr.com/) me.  
> The song that brings this whole thing together is [Palace](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYJCjVkOImU) by Sam Smith.


	2. it was beauty (we were making)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What about them?” Karen asked, inclining her head to the former Avengers.  
> “Don’t worry about them, M’Lady,” Wade said, jumping up on the table and brandishing his katanas, “I’ll protect you from the Ex-vengers!”  
> “Well, this is all completely sane,” Foggy commented, dryly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jessica Jones is my soulmate.  
> This Spidey is MCU PETER PARKER meaning there is no spideypool. If that makes you sad check the end notes :))))  
> This chapter is very defenders (and matt/foggy) heavy, so sorry if ur not abt that. There should be some moments for everyone, though :)

A jubilant mood followed the New Avengers after training, through the trip to Stark Tower, and into the ground-team meeting. It must have been infectious, because the small-time heroes already present greeted them much the same.

“Look what the cat dragged in,” Jessica proclaimed gruffly when she spotted them, seemingly in an uncharacteristic good mood.

The sentiment was a sign of comradery, on the surface, but with a side eye aimed at the four fugitives, it was clear that the statement was also a dig. The former Avengers seemed unaffected by the good mood, all of them on-edge and cautious.

Jessica having alerted him to their arrival, Peter immediately made a bee-line to Tony.

“Mr. Stark!” he exclaimed happily, ducking into a hug, to which Tony unconvincingly feigned resistance.

Once they pulled back, Tony tugged on Peter’s mask a bit, as if to straighten it, and wiped imaginary dust from the boy’s shoulder.

“Grab DareDevil and ‘Pool and let’s get this show on the road,” Tony ordered.

Once Peter had bounded off to do just that, Natasha spoke.

“So, that must be the protégé…”

Not a second had passed before Tony whipped around to face her, looking straight at her, at any of his old team, for the first time since they fell apart.

“If you _dare_ touch him, no, if you even _think_ about him, you’ll quickly find yourself--”

“Alright, Mama Bear,” Deadpool’s  voice called from over his shoulder, as one of DareDevil’s hands landed on his shoulder, pulling him back from where he had stalked up to her without realizing he was doing so.

“ _Deadpool_ is your impulse control, Stark? That’s a new low.”

Natasha was lashing out, and he knew why. She had expected his loyalty, even after she betrayed him to Team Cap. But he had turned his back on her, treated her as he did all the other fugitives, sent her running for the hills. In other instances, he was more merciful. Clint and Scott were home with their families, but his own personal Judas was not so lucky. Tony was burning his bridges, and he had found her unworthy of saving.

She turned to T’Challa, attempting to sway more to her side.

“He’s a mercenary. He’s insane, he’d kill people for the fun of it, even if no one paid him. In fact, I think he has.”

But, she underestimated the King’s loyalty. She underestimated Tony’s ability to inspire that loyalty.

“He’s a fellow Avenger,” T’Challa snapped, leaving, ‘ _unlike you,_ ’ unsaid, yet still heard.

“A mercenary on the Avengers?” Steve finally spoke up, harsh disapproval in every word and movement.

“Let’s talk about that, shall we?” Matt said smoothly, snake-like in his own way, “Where did you get this information about my associate, Miss Romanov?”

“Everyone knows about people like him. You hear whispers. Ghost stories.”

“Heard that one before,” Sam Wilson said, speaking up for the first time, to Tony’s knowledge, since their arrival.

Tony glanced back at him, for a moment, curious the seeming critique, and why Wilson would question her. He found Wilson largely closed off, but a bit of discontent was seeded just behind his eyes. Tony could work with that. He quirked a ghost of a smile at the Falcon, curious. Sam only shrugged in response, eyes ambivalent but unguarded. Stranger still, the witch was not next to him. She must have slipped away while Tony was, quite purposely, ignoring them. Looking back to the rest of the room, a rooftop conference room designed specifically for these meetings, he found Vision also missing. Yeah, he probably should have expected that.

“But you would say that you do not agree with Mr. Wilson’s methods, correct? And you say that, for this reason, we should not be working with him?”

“Yes, that’s what I said,” she said, surprising Tony by falling into the rather obvious trap.

“But you, yourself have worked with him before, correct? So, is it not hypocritical to say—“

“No, I—“ Natasha immediately began to deny.

“We have proof, Miss Romanov. Let’s just say, a little birdie told us. Proof of that, and years of emotional manipulation, and—“

“That’s enough, DareDevil,” Carol Danvers announced, taking control of the situation before it got too out of hand. 

He silenced immediately, showing deference to his superior.

“Yes, Captain Danvers,” he said, though his rage was still present, not boiling below the surface, but spreading from him like frost over grass.

“As members of the former Avengers, you have been invited here as a professional courtesy. I also hoped, as Captain of the New Avengers, to assess whether we could work with you in _any_ capacity, should the council wish it,” Carol said.

She let silence hang in the air before continuing.

“I can only hope you understand what that means,” the Captain finished, icily.

She motioned for everyone to gather at the large conference table. Other than Matt, the Defenders were already seated. Jessica had her chair balanced on only the two back legs, the chair back propped against the ledge of the roof, a picture of condescending nonchalance. Luke was leaned forward, braced on his forearms, steel in his eyes. Danny, on the other hand, seemed to be trying to make himself a small as possible. That man was an enigma.

Everyone was seated, leaving a space for Tony at the head of the table, next to Carol, but he did not yet sit.

“Before you start, Carol, I have a question to pose to the group,” Tony said, pushing his aviators into place as if to make sure they would conceal the intentions hidden in his eyes.

The Captain gestured him on.

“Who do I call to convince him,” he said, pointing an accusing finger at DareDevil, “not to pull this stupid-ass stunt,” he finished, looking to the Defenders for an answer.

Jessica spoke up without a hesitation, before even a second of silence could pass.

“The teddy-bear looking dude, and the journalist.”

Matt’s lips pressed into a thin-line, but he said nothing.

“Well, you gonna dial them for me, DD, or am I going to track them down myself?” Tony questioned, or, more accurately, dared.

With little reaction, DareDevil handed over his phone. Tony quickly muted the accessibility features, to prevent giving anything away, and then navigated to the contacts for one Foggy Nelson and one Karen Page.

“They won’t answer,” Matt grumbled, as if he was conflicted by both the pain and the advantage of this admission given the situation.

“Like hell they won’t,” Tony said, rapidly tapping at the phone screen.

He put the phone up to his ear.

“Miss Page, This is Tony Stark. I’m sorry to hack your phone but—“

There was a moment of silence. A grin grew on his face.

“Yes, he did do something stupid. Or, he’s going to. We were hoping you could talk him out of it.”

Silence again. With the hand not holding his phone, Tony was tapping aggressively on a StarkPad, making wild gestures at FRIDAY’s cameras with the device.

“He’s my next call. You’re at work? A car should already be waiting outside to pick you up.”

Silence again.

“No, thank _you_.”

He hung up, and immediately dialed again.

Tony opened his mouth as if to speak, but cut off, clearly listening to the person on the other end of the line.

“She texted you? Then you’ll already know what I have to say.”

He listened again, eyes sliding to Matt, face carefully impassive.

“Yes,” he said, shortly, nodding even though he couldn’t be seen.

There was a moment of silence. He nodded again, and then hung up the phone. He looked at it for a moment, as if struggling to come back to reality, and then tossed it to Peter, who, in turn, handed it to Matt.

“Can you manage without me? I’m going to meet them in the lobby,” Tony addressed Carol.

“I’ve got it.”

“Do you need any assistance?” Strange asked, softly.

Tony shook his head, dismissing the idea immediately.

“I’ve got it,” he echoed, but he stubbly trailed a hand from the nape of Stephen’s neck to his shoulder blade as he passed, in a small gesture of thanks.

He made his way to the elevator, and, as the doors closed, he offered the room a small smile.

The meeting continued on without him for merely 15 minutes before the elevator doors dinged, revealing Tony and two people that fit Jessica’s prior descriptions. Tony looked to be back in high spirits, no longer looking tense. There was a light flush on Karen’s cheeks, as if she had just been laughing, and Foggy had little crinkles around his eyes, and a smile unwittingly tugging at his lips.

They stepped out of the elevator.

“Speak of the Devil!” Tony joked, leading the newcomers over to the table, “So, I guess since he’s so…” Tony trailed off, turning to Matt with a gesture, seemingly at a loss for words, “ _that_ , I’m assuming you haven’t had introductions yet. So!” He said, clapping his hands once for punctuation, “The New Avengers: Captain Carol Danvers, Vision, Hope van Dyne, King T’Challa, and Doctor Stephen Strange,” he finished, with a flourish, before moving on, “and then, on the ground, we have Deadpool, or Wade Wilson—“

“Ahh! My secret identity!” Wade screeched, cutting off his tirade.

Tony rolled his eyes.

“You’re in the phonebook, you dumbass,” he accused, before continuing, “and your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, and the Defenders,” he said, and then turned to them for a moment, “that’s DD’s team. If he was a normal person, he would have already introduced you, but, anyway. This is Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Danny Rand,” he concluded.

“It’s nice to finally meet you,” Karen said, with a kind smile, reaching out to shake the Defenders’ hands.

Foggy gave an awkward wave, not unkind, but a bit out of his element.

“What about them?” Karen asked, inclining her head to the former Avengers.

Matt, who hadn’t said anything, hadn’t even greeted them, stiffened up, and made as if to stand. Tony opened his mouth, to try to diffuse the situation, but, surprisingly, Deadpool beat him to it.

“Don’t worry about them, M’Lady,” he said, jumping up on the table and brandishing his katanas, “I’ll protect you from the Ex-Vengers!”

Karen giggled, undisturbed by Wade’s antics.

“Why, thank you, Mr. Wilson!”

The eyes of Wade’s mask widened, and one might imagine little heart-shaped bubbles began to float out of his head.

“Well, this is all completely sane,” Foggy commented, dryly, before turning to Tony, “Is there anywhere we can talk to him in private?”  

This time, it was Jessica who spoke up before Tony, even standing up to guide them.

“Just step behind that glass. It’s mostly sound proof. The kid will be able to hear you if he tries,” she said, with a shrug.

“I’ll try really hard not to, and I’ll even say something really embarrassing out here! And DD can tell you what I said! That way, we’re even!” Peter announced.

Foggy cocked an eyebrow at him.

“Don’t worry about it, kid.”

Matt made an aggravated, wounded noise, as if Foggy's casual acceptance of Peter's powers hurt him in some way. Foggy showed no sign of recognition.  

Jessica nodded, decision made, and lead the three over to the door.

“Make sure he’s not making a decision he’ll regret,” she said, before forcefully pushing them through the doors, and closing them behind the group.

She made her way back over to the team, and they waited, making small talk, or, as small talk as a group of superheroes could manage, and trying to keep their eyes off the arguing figures just beyond the pane of glass which separated the inside portion of the roof from the outside portion. After nearly ten minutes continuing on like this, there was the sound of the door opening, a rattling as it slammed shut, and the click of heels across concrete.

Tony raised an eyebrow at Karen, who had emerged alone, the fight behind her continuing to escalate.

“Any progress?” He asked.

“He started quoting Thurgood Marshall,” she said, amused, before sitting down heavily, “Foggy was somewhere between turned on and contemplating murder as a legitimate option, as always.”

It was delivered as a joke, but it was just a little to quiet, a little too strained, to be convincing.

Few seemed surprised by the new information.

Jessica slapped Danny in the chest with the back of her hand, before making a beckoning gesture.

“Pay up, Rand, I told you DD was pining after someone.”

He sighed, and pulled out his wallet, handing her a few bills. She counted them, before moving to slip them into her pocket, smile on her face.

“Uh uh uh, missy,” Deadpool sing-songed, “you bet it was the scary Greek lady. _I_ said it was the soft lawyer.”

She cursed softly, but gave in and passed him half of the cash, stuffing the rest into her pocket defensively.

“You guys bet on his personal life?” Karen asked, not necessarily judgemental, but not approving, either.

Surprisingly, it was Luke that explained.

“He’s a private guy. The only one of us with a secret identity, and he wears that mask all the time. We wonder,” he said, simply.

She nodded in understanding.

Danny perked up suddenly.

“Hey, wait, we don’t actually know that DD is—“ Danny began.

“Dude,” Jessica interrupted, gesturing to the scene taking place behind the glass, as if it explained everything—but, well, it did.

DareDevil’s back was to the glass, but, for the first time since the Defenders had met him, his mask was off. His hair was a mess, his eyes were down cast, his shoulders were tense, and his hands were balled in fists. No one got him emotional like that, affected the devil that much.

“Fine,” Danny relented.

Just as he gave in, a bang sounded from behind the glass, causing Karen to jump. When they looked back at the pair, it was obvious that, in his frustration, Matt had punched the wall, crumbling the drywall and likely injuring his hand.

“Ouch,” Tony hissed in sympathy.

“I’ll pay for that,” Karen offered, absently, eyes glued on the action.

“Don’t worry about it. But thank you,” he replied, eyes also never leaving the exchange.

“Of course,” Karen replied, as if it was only right of her to offer, and, it was, but less thought and gratitude had become the norm in the past, and Tony still hadn’t quite shaken the habit of expecting it.

As they watched, Foggy stalked forward and grabbed Matt’s hand, the one he had used to punch the wall, pulled it towards himself rather forcefully, but then inspected it carefully for injuries. With his free hand, Foggy whacked Matt on the back of the head. Foggy said something, and Matt’s reply must have been particularly stupid, because Foggy suddenly snapped.

But, instead of stabbing him with a pencil, or wringing his neck, Foggy slammed him against the window, kissing him as if it was his life’s purpose. Everyone was still, for a moment, until their comrade responded, winding a red leather clad arm around his neck and burying a hand in Foggy's hair.

The spell finally broken, Jessica wolf whistled loudly enough the be heard through the glass.

Wade slapped a hand over Spider-Man’s eyes, protectively.

“Hey!” Peter cried, offended.

Wade’s hand didn’t budge.

“Get it, DD!” Jessica hooted.

This time, they seemed to have actually heard her, and they froze. Foggy pulled back, laughter clear on his face, though inaudible to the spectators. They exchanged a few words, and Foggy reached behind him blindly to pick up Matt’s discarded cowl, handing in back to him. Matt put in on, but not before pulling him into one last, softer, kiss. They stood for a moment, before Foggy offered Matt his arm.

Karen turned away, as if she couldn’t look any longer.

“He offered his arm. I could cry. I could actually cry.”

Tony, likely the only other who realized the significance of the gesture, as the only one who knew Matt’s day-time persona, patted her on the shoulder understandingly.

As the pair approached the table, Tony cleared his throat.

“So, any revelations made besides the obvious?”

Matt looked down, the tips of his ears turning pink, but was unable to keep the soft smile from his face.

“He’s doing it,” Foggy said, resigned but determined, “it’s stupid and loyal and stupidly loyal, but, of course it is. He can’t be anything else,” Foggy finished with a shrug.

Tony made a disgusted noise, less at the actual decision and more at the snappiness of the proclamation.

“Alright, whatever. _We_ are going to dinner. You two? Not invited. Go…” he said, hand flapping in the air, “somewhere else. _Anywhere else._ Didn’t you say he likes that Italian restaurant?” Tony asked Matt, “I’ll get you a reservation. Just go. Out of my sight!” He exclaimed, exaggeratedly.

They laughed, and made to leave, but not before Foggy reached out to shake Tony’s hand.

“Thanks for calling us, Mr. Stark.”

“Call me Tony, and don’t thank me yet. This means you have a standing invitation to team—“

Wade cleared his throat.

“A standing invitation to family dinners,” Tony corrected, with a grin, “bring a dish, don’t be late, and make sure this one doesn’t show up in uniform.”

“Yes, Sir,” Foggy said, with a lazy grin and a mock salute, before Matt began dragging him away, towards the elevator.

“Well,” Karen began, “I’d say that went well.”

Tony made a vomiting noise.

“Emotions. I think I need to bleach my eyes. Isn’t there a subreddit for that?” Tony rambled, taking off his sunglasses to rub at his eyes.

“I don’t know, I think it was rather romantic,” Strange replied, airily, teasing.

Tony pouted at him, and then stuck his tongue out, the picture of sophistication.

Peter reached up to pry apart Wade’s fingers, still covering his eyes.

“Is it safe to look now?” Peter asked, peering between two of fingers.

The table burst into laughter, near hysterics.

“Yeah, kid,” Tony wheezed, struggling to breathe between laughs, “Yeah, kid, it’s safe now.”

* * *

 

“Are you sure this is the right play? Are you sure we aren’t the ones in the wrong?” Sam asked, casually, crunching through an apple as if the punctuate his point.

Steve looked at him, shock clear on his face. Natasha’s face was carefully guarded, obscuring any reaction at all.

“They seem to have a good thing going here. And Bucky’s safe in Wakanda… And, Steve, what if the Accords are _necessary_? I’ve been looking at the—“

“Sam,” Steve interrupted.

Sam raised a hand, quieting him.

“I’ve got your back, man, but just think about it, okay?”

Steve nodded, looking troubled.

Sam took another bite of his apple, and left the room, Wanda following close behind, leaving Steve and Natasha alone with their thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The real OTP is Sam/that apple amiright???  
> For spideypool, might I shamelessly plug [this](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10514856)  
> What stupid thing is Matt gonna do??? Find out in chapter 4!!!  
> Re: who will end up with Tony,  
> Chapters 1-5 will be unaffected by who the endgame is... everyone gets their chance to make Tony happy! The only thing that could change is the second half of chapter 6. Until then, the story is mostly focused on Tony having a good support system, and loving his team very much.  
> Comment below or [message](http://imsupposedtobewriting.tumblr.com/) me about who you want Tony to end up with! Or about anything; I've loved hearing from you!


	3. tell me (what we built this for)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Things are a little different out there, in the rest of the Galaxy. So, loosen your tie, roll up your sleeves… if you’re feeling like a stick in the mud, leave now. It’s about to get irreverent.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the space boys chapter! All ur intergalactic favs in one place!  
> [The Chain](https://youtu.be/JDG2m5hN1vo?t=53s) is the song that plays during those dramatic walking scenes in GOTG2 and [Immigrant Song](https://youtu.be/y8OtzJtp-EM?t=9s) is where that iconic sound in Ragnarok comes from.  
> Enjoy!

Tony sauntered into the gala, fashionably late, Stephen at his right-hand, a half-step behind. Tony made his way straight to the stage at the front of the room, the crowd parting for him as he went.

“Sorry I’m late,” he began his welcome speech, “We had to walk the dog,” he explained.

Laughter rippled through the crowd, and Tony laughed, too.

“No, really. We had to walk the dog. You heard it here first, Tony Stark has become domestic.”

The crowd laughed again, the few reporters allowed entry scribbling down on notepads, and snapping pictures of Tony’s megawatt smile.

“Anyway, welcome, everyone. Official accords negotiations start tomorrow, as you all know. Our purpose, above all, is to ensure that we are protecting the people. That we can help without hurting. That we never become a militant force, something to be feared.”

He let the words hang in the air.

“A threat approaches. I’ve been saying it, and preparing for it, since the Battle of New York. It is paramount that we have the Accords in place before it arrives, to ensure that our preparations can be carried out lawfully— to ensure that in protecting the galaxy we do not harm its people. The teams I have the honor of introducing tonight have been key to the preparation of our defense, serving as liaisons to the rest of the galaxy, and sources of information on the goings-on outside our sphere.”

Murmurs rose through the crowd, as Tony again let silence reign.

“When negotiations begin, official briefings on these teams will be released, but not tonight. Tonight is about getting to know them as people, as the heroes that have already saved us, and, with the blessing of the revised Accords, will work with us to do it again. And, before anyone flips their shit, everyone I’m about to announce has been pre-approved as allies of the New Avengers by the Security Council. There's no need to be alarmed.”

He paused again. A smirk grew on his face.

“Things are a little different out there, in the rest of the Galaxy. So, loosen your tie, roll up your sleeves… if you’re feeling like a stick in the mud, leave now. It’s about to get irreverent.”

Tony walked to the other side of stage, to get a better view of the both the entryway, and of the crowd. The dramatic entrances had, of course, been Quill's idea, but Tony wholeheartedly approved. The PR team had, surprisingly, also approved, saying something about it, "fitting the Iron Man brand." Tony supposed they were right, but that wasn't why he agreed-- he just thought that, after the battles the two teams had just been through, they deserved a bit of fun. Tony shook these thoughts away, wanting to be in the moment, as “Immigrant Song” began to play. He grinned, anticipating the arrival of his friends, and the reunion of his team. Sure, they had all talked-- Tony had launched a satellite specifically for that purpose-- but finally seeing everyone in person again was something special.

“With a music taste to rival my own: Asgard’s Revengers!” Tony announced, enthusiasm genuine.

The doors burst open, and cameras went wild, as they entered.

“Thor Odinson, King of Asgard, Loki Odinson, Rightful King of Jotunhiem, The Last Valkyrie, and Hulk, Champion of Sakaar!” he introduced, pride creeping into his voice.

After Tony said this, he jumped off the stage to greet them. He was immediately pulled into a bear hug by Thor. He held up a fist for Hulk to bump, which he did, causing Tony to stumble backwards, laughing. After a wave to Valkyrie, and a lingering glance at Loki, Tony jumped back onto the stage.

“Ok, Ok, before it gets too crazy: The Guardians of the Galaxy!”

Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain” began to play, and the Guardians’ entrance was even more unashamedly theatrical than that of the Revengers. They walked in a pattern resembling a battle formation. Due to a compromise Tony literally had to beg for, Peter wore formal Midgardian clothing--though his Raveger coat still present-- and Gamora had only one sword-- but it was rather prominently displayed, sheathed in gleaming silver at her hip, striking against her simple black dress. Tony rolled his eyes fondly at the intimidating image they purposely constructed.

“Peter Quill, AKA Star Lord, Gamora, Drax, Mantis, Rocket, and Groot!”

He jumped down to greet them, too. He kissed Gamora on both cheeks, before being grabbed by Quill. Peter twirled him in time with the music once, laughing, before pulling away, and offering Gamora his arm.

“That’s all, folks! Mingle, and don’t drink any Asgardian alcohol!”

Suddenly, it became obvious that Tony had not been exaggerating about the irreverence. Once the heroes had arrived, the party truly became something worthy of the Tony Stark name. But, despite the rowdiness, it was still much different from the parties of his playboy days. There was no undercurrent of deceit, no carefully hidden motives. In fact, it rather had the air of a family reunion.  

After an hour of catching up, exchanging pleasantries and greetings, Tony found himself talking to the new secretary of state. She was a balanced woman who had been appointed to the position after Ross was fired due to a pending investigation, on charges of corruption and public endangerment. To Tony’s left stood Peter and Gamora. Gamora was hanging off of Quill’s arm in a way that suggested unity, but not dependency— she was a picture of strength. This close to them, he could see uncharacteristic weariness written onto their features. Quill looked serious, for once, and it had Tony worried. But, he supposed, it was probably to be expected.

“They’re fresh from battle,” Tony explained to the secretary, referring to the Guardians.

“What battle?” She questioned.

She likely knew the basics, but wished to hear from a primary source. Tony respected that. Just before he replied, Thor and Loki approached. Loki warned Tony of this arrival, silently as to not interrupt, by surreptitiously placing a hand on his elbow, letting it linger a moment longer than what was strictly casual before pulling it away.

“We stood with the NOVA corps on Xandar,” Gamora said, levely.

“The NOVA corps would have fallen, if they hadn’t gotten there in time,” Tony added.

“We almost didn’t,” Quill said, eyes darker than typical, “make it in time, I mean,” he clarified gruffly.

“Thanos wasn’t defeated, but he was delayed. We would have lost a powerful ally in the NOVA corps had the Guardian’s not been present,” Loki interjected, voice silky and confident, but not overbearing.

“Loki,” Gamora greeted kindly, making his acquaintance for the first time that evening, “You look well.”

“Better than the last time I had the pleasure of seeing you, surely,” he replied, voice full of his particular brand of dark humor.

“You two know each other, then?” the secretary asked.

“Not quite,” Loki said, a mysterious smirk barely covering his discomfort.

“I knew him when he was under Thanos’ control. When he invaded your planet,” Gamora elaborated.

“He was under Thanos’ control during the Battle of New York? Why are we just now learning this?”

Loki seemed to take offense to this.

“I may not be as prone to genocide as you once assumed, but I still had my own plans. I want balance and peace in the nine realms as much, if not more, than your midgardian heroes, but I am still the God of Mischief and Lies,” he sneered.

“Yep, that’s a great way to build trust, Lo,” Tony quipped.

Loki sneered at him, too.

"What about the rest of you, then? How did you all meet?" she asked, purposely casual.

"Anthony and I were already acquainted!" Thor began, happier than someone who had just lost nearly everything had any right to be, "After the fall of Asgard, Banner and I contacted him using the ship he left earth on."

"Banner invented a device which allowed for a link between Asdgardian and Midgardian tech, while you hovered annoyingly, waiting to speak to Anthony," Loki corrected, sounding every bit a younger sibling.

"Perhaps you are right," Thor said, falsely apologetic and teasing, "but this is a bad habit which we shared," he accused, mirth in his eyes.

Loki, to Tony's surprise, didn't even deny it. He only met Tony's eyes, mischief in his expression, but no denial. Tony wondered, suddenly, how this had become his life.

"Changing the subject before they start battling for his hand," Gamora said, somewhere between long-suffering and amused, "We met Tony before the original Avengers disbanded. If I say much more than that it would cause an interplanetary incident."

"But it's such a good story," Peter whined.

Gamora only rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry that galaxy-wide laws are _so_ inconvenient," Tony quipped.

Peter, of course, gave as good as he got, and twisted Tony's words to his advantage. 

“Don't worry about it, Starshine. I know just how you can make it up to me,”  Quill declared, “There are a few wizards and maybe a stray cat I wouldn’t mind making jealous, so how about a dance?” Quill teased.

The tips of Tony’s ears went pink-- he hadn't been expecting that. 

Thor slapped Quill on the shoulder with a hearty laugh.

“My brother is a mage, not a wizard, Lord of Stars, but otherwise, your observations are just! The only person you should mind making jealous, as you say, is I!” He said, grin never fading from his face, despite his words likely being a legitimate threat.

Thor turned to Tony.

“I swear not use the mighty stormbringer to smite your other suitors, so long as you do not allow them to kill each other, Anthony. We shall all be needed in the coming battle!” Thor finished, just as jovially.

"Just how many superheroes are fighting over you?" the secretary asked, thankfully seeming amused by the whole situation rather than offended.

Tony opened his mouth, and then closed it again, shaking his head in bewilderment, again wondering  _how_ and  _when_ this had become his life. Choosing not to reply, Tony instead stepped towards Quill, offering his hand.

“C’mon. Before I change my mind,” Tony grumbled, failing to conceal his grin.

Permission given, Quill grabbed his hand and pulled him to the dance floor, paying no mind to the conversation they were leaving behind.

Once they arrived, Quill performed an exaggerated hip-swivel. Tony rolled his eyes fondly, and grabbed Peter’s hands to move them into a position more suitable for the music. Quill went willingly, content to dance the night away while they still could, but not before defending his hip-swivel from Tony’s laughter.

“Hey, I’ll have you know I saved the universe with that move!”

Tony laughed again, continuing to lead Quill through a more traditional dance.

“Whatever you say, Peter, whatever you say.”

* * *

 

The morning after the gala, Tony was sat in a small  office off of where the press conference would be held. Having given up on convincing Matt to change his mind, Tony had moved on to making last minute arrangements for the next leg of their journey. He had just gotten off the phone with an old friend, who they would be visiting shortly, when a magazine hit the table in front of him.

He glanced up briefly, raising an unimpressed eyebrow when he realized this was Steve confronting him. Tony looked back at the magazine, taking in the cover. It was a picture of Loki in profile from the gala the night before. He had been standing between Tony and Thor, though they were not in the picture. The smile on his face was about as close as he got to sincere, but there was something defensive about his stance. Tony knew the picture must have been taken just after he joked to Gamora that he was certainly better than the first time they met, now having free will, and all. Tony took all this in, but it wasn’t what caught his attention.

What caught his attention, and brought a smile to his lips, unbidden, were Loki’s cufflinks. They were the solution to a big PR debate about public image. The PR team wanted them to look identifiable to the public, to have some symbol of their hero personas on their everyday person, as a show of strength. Though a seemingly innocuous request, it had sent Tony raving. He'd called Loki, the most politically savvy of his acquaintances, all the way from across space to rant, saying that it took away their personal personas, that it would be overbearing. Loki had said very little, seeming only amused and unconcerned.

Tony even considered the possibility that Loki hadn't been listening at all, until he found a small box had appeared on his desk the next morning. FRIDAY claimed, much to Tony’s confusion, that it had appeared out of thin air during the night. He opened the box, and found a pair of cufflinks in the shape of an Avengers logo rendered in a smooth-finished gold.

The box also contained a note.

_Often, a small show of strength, of unity, is valuable. Do not be afraid to show pride in your team, Anthony; People would do well to fear you._

From Loki, that was probably the best compliment one could receive.  

Memory completed, Tony was forced back into real time, still looking at Loki’s black chrome Avenger’s cufflinks, glinting green in the warm lighting of the picture. Maybe Steve had wished to guilt him with the picture, but it had quite the opposite effect-- instead, he was only filled with fondness for his team, for their strength and unity.

The clear pride Tony was displaying only seemed to annoy Steve further, and he made an aggressive gesture which demanded Tony explain. Tony, in turn, did nothing of the sort, and instead paged through the magazine to find the article that accompanied the cover.

“Oh, good, the PR team got the official statement out before this dropped. I should give them a raise. Or, a lot of time off when this is all over with. Or, you know what, both, let’s go with both,” he said, absentmindedly, making a note of it on his phone while still reading the section of the article detailing the authors perspective on Loki’s ally status.

“I just don’t understand how you could do this, Tony.”

Tony didn’t answer, scrolling through articles on his phone, reading over the public’s consensus on Loki. He could feel the pressure building in the air as Steve waited for his answer. Tony did nothing, until finally, Steve snapped.

“You owe me an answer!” he said, banging a fist on the table, sending hairline fractures out from the point of impact.

“I owe you nothing!” Tony replied, just as forcefully, “The only explanation I owe--” he cut off, taking a deep breath, and, hearing Carol’s voice in his head, he corrected himself, “The only explanation _we,_ The New Avengers, owe as a result of allying ourselves with the Asgardian Revengers, and thereby Loki, is to the public, and to those he harmed. And that explanation _has been given_. The world has moved on without you,” he declared, carefully restrained, gesturing to the magazine.

Steve opened his mouth to reply, but Tony silenced him with a gesture.

“I owe you nothing, Rogers. I’m beginning to realize that I never did. Think about that.”

He turned away, standing still for a moment before leaving to rejoin his team.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> spoiler for ch. 5: "He had just gotten off the phone with an OLD FRIEND who they would be visiting shortly."  
> Ik this ch is a bit crack-y, but the next chapter gets pretty intense/salty so I didn't rewrite it.  
> RE: Who Tony will end up with,  
> I've been secretly writing alternate endings since ch. 1, y'all. you foiled my evil plan. so, yeah, whatever ship y'all want the most (rn it's looking like stephen/tony) will be the "official" ending, but I'll post all the others too. I might not get to every ship we've talked about, so still comment bellow or message me if you're passionate abt a particular ending. In ch.4's end notes, there will be no new info abt this; you'll see why when u get there.  
> xoxo


	4. on my way (to something more)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It is in this trust that today a member of my team takes a leap of faith, as a sign of good will. And, in this trust, I know I speak for my team in saying that under the leadership of Tony Stark we have come to understand what it truly means to say, 'With great power comes great responsibility.'”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is NOT STEVE ROGERS FRIENDLY. Next chapter is a lot more positive, and there will be more info in the notes then.  
> Things are about to get serious...

This time, Tony wasn’t delivering the opening speech.

  
From his perspective, it was a questionable decision, but this conference was Matt’s baby. Really, as head of his Accords legal strategy team, all of the negotiations were his baby. So, Tony let it go. Even though having little Peter Parker, decked out in the first Spider-Man suit Tony had ever made him, give the opening speech seemed like a strange choice.

  
Tony expected Peter to deploy his Spider-Man wit, catch the audience of guard, and lighten the mood. Boy, was he wrong.

  
“Today, the first day of the Renewed Accords Negotiations, we are given a choice: We can go the route of Captain America and the former Avengers, ignoring the will of 117 countries, or we can do this the right way, and listen to the people we are meant to be protecting.”

  
Well, Peter sure wasn’t playing around. He paused, just long enough for people to begin to become uncomfortable, before continuing.

  
“Before he passed, someone very close to me said, 'With great power comes great responsibility.' That has become a guiding principle in my life. I… I must say, as a proud member of the mutate and superhero communities that my relationship with the Accords is strained. But, in the face of the coming threat, those of us with power must take responsibility for our actions, and ensure that we are protecting people as well as we are able. And I have faith that, once these negotiations are over, the accords will be the way to do that.”

  
_Shit_ , Tony thought, his throat tight, _he brought up Uncle Ben_.

  
“But do not,” Peter started up again, a warning edge to his voice that, until now, he had never quite been able to muster, “think that I am naive. Do not think that we are naive. Under the leadership of Tony Stark, teams of superhumans and affected citizens alike have been formed to discuss the implications and eventualities of the accords. Under the leadership of Tony Stark, we have decided where we must compromise, but also where we must stand our ground. Because of this, I am secure in my trust that we will protect the rights of the superhuman population.”

  
Peter said this, not with vehemence or conviction, but with pure pride and unyielding loyalty. _Under the leadership of Tony Stark_ , was said with near reverence, and it rang in Tony’s ears like a shotgun blast. His eyes began to burn.

  
“It is in this trust that today a member of my team takes a leap of faith, as a sign of good will. And, in this trust, I know I speak for my team in saying that under the leadership of Tony Stark we have come to understand what it truly means to say, 'With great power comes great responsibility.'”

  
With the repetition of this sentiment the crowd erupted into cheers. And, yep, that was the last straw, Tony was crying. Peter took in the crowd for a moment, before searching for Tony, and when they locked eyes Peter squatted down and reached out a hand to pull him up on the stage. Tony went willingly, not bothering to wipe the few stray tears that had escaped, as he was pulled into a hug. The applause continued, possibly even louder than before.

  
“I’m proud of you,” Tony said, his voice unwittingly getting picked up by the mic, barely audible over the noise of the crowd.

  
“I love you, Mr. Stark.”

  
“Love you, too, kid.”

  
Tony wiped his eyes subtly, before pulling back. Peter tugged Tony along as he made his way back towards the speaker podium. Tony slung an arm around his shoulder, beaming out towards the crowd as if to say, _Hey, look, that’s MY protégé._

  
“With that in mind, it’s my honor to surrender the floor to my good friend. If you would please direct your attention to the entrance…” He concluded, with a gesture to the doors.

  
He jumped from the stage, pulling Tony down with him.

  
“This is gonna be good,” Peter whispered to Tony, eyes glued on the door, which was just beginning to move.

  
With a bang which hushed the crowd, the door flew open, revealing none other than Matt Murdock. Or should he be called DareDevil? In the moment, he was somewhere in between. He carried no cane, but wore his red-tinted glasses nonetheless. He wore a black suit, without a tie, a Devil-red shirt underneath, unbuttoned more than Tony could ever get away with. He walked confidently, facing ahead, and, almost purposefully, his crimson Avengers cufflinks flashed in the light as he began to pass the crowd. Despite the importance of the moment, no cameras flashed; no one even dared to move, frozen in place by the presence of the Devil.

  
He reached the stage.

  
“Good morning,” he said, voice gravelly.

  
The crowd gave little to no reaction, their eyes trained on him, waiting.

  
“I am here today as the head of the Renewed Accords legal strategy team, and as co-leader of the New Avengers ground team. My name is Matthew Michael Murdock…”  
He turned an ear to the crowd subtly, studying their positions, their heartbeats. They were still frozen, many heart rates raised in anticipation-- in fear. He smirked, pleased and ready.

  
“But you may know me better as DareDevil.”

At last, cameras flashed. The room seemed to yell with one voice, questions rising from every direction, unending. The smirk fell from Matt’s face when the crowd did not fall silent.

And, so, with a sarcastic gesture to the crowd, he concluded, “I’ll wait.”

* * *

  
And wait he did, with a disapproving look on his face, until finally the press fell silent. Only then did he allow them to ask questions, one at a time, all of which he answered with practiced ease and political poise, except one. The exception wasn't when he was asked a particularly offensive comment about his blindness (Matt had informed him that his abilities would be detailed in the accords briefing, accessible to those with proper clearance, and then Tony had promptly had the reported kicked out), or even when it was implied that he should be disbarred (which he would not be, though he would be facing restrictions. In Matt's mind, it didn't matter. It was worth it, and he told the woman so.) No, rather, it was when someone brought up the former Avengers. 

"Can you give us any insight into the proceedings surrounding those Avengers who have already broken the Accords, Mr. Murdock?"

"First, let me clarify that the people of whom you speak," Matt replied, voice carefully level, "are not members of the New Avengers roster." 

He was silent for a moment, considering.

"Do you want my answer as head of the strategy team, or as Tony Stark's friend and lawyer?"

The reported hesitated for a moment, hearing a dangerous edge in Matt's voice. 

"How about both?" he requested, tentatively. 

Matt nodded. 

"As head of the strategy team, I have been deferring to Captain Danvers as she makes an assessment on the former Avengers competency and compatibility with the New Avengers, which will serve as guide during negotiations," Matt said, taking a deep breath before continuing, "As his friend, I advised him to file for an emergency restraining order against Steve Rogers."

The room erupted into chaos, but only for a moment, as Matt cleared his throat, and, remembering the lesson they had learned previously, fell silent. Matt continued his statement.

"Tony refused, as it may have prevented Mr. Rogers from attending Accords negotiations, but he did agree to file for a permanent restraining order after negotiations have concluded, and accepted King T'Challa's offer of protection by the royal guard until that time."

Matt paused, and when he spoke again, his voice was more deadly than ever.

"As Mr. Stark's lawyer, pending investigation, I intend to have Steve Rogers tried for obstruction of justice in the murder case of Howard and Maria Stark, and for the aggravated assault and attempted murder of Tony Stark."

This time, there was no uproar, only silence. It was not out of shock, but out of respect for, and possibly the fear of, the conviction and the  _absolute certainty_ in Matt's voice. 

"And that is the note I will be ending on," he said, leaving no room for argument, and exiting the stage. 

Matt made his way to Peter and Tony, who stood off to the side at the front of the press hall, as everyone began to file out.

Natasha looked at Steve, who was too shocked to do much of anything, and jerked her head in their direction. After a moment, he unfroze nodded, and they began to make their way towards the trio. They hung back, listening in on their conversation and waiting on the perfect moment to strike.

"You really put the fear of God in 'em, DD. And I don't mean with all the legal jargon. You really channeled a kindergarten teacher," Peter teased, attempting to lighten the mood.

Matt went along easily, his own mood undamaged by the threats he had made.  

“‘But you may know me as DareDevil,’ was supposed to be the memorable line,” Matt complained, almost whining, “It’s no, ‘I am Iron Man,’ but it was still good… And instead I get…” he said, trailing off.

“I’ll wait,” Peter mocked, with the same unamused, gravelly voice Matt had used.

Tony started laughing uncontrollably, undoubtedly a bit hysterical from stress, but he recovered quickly in the comforting presence of Matt and Peter. His hand landed on Matt’s shoulder, the other gesturing as he began to speak.

“How about T-Shirts, Matty? I’m seeing it on T-Shirts. No image, just a red shirt with black letters. It’s going to be iconic,” Tony joked, already almost completely calm and genuinely excited by the time he had finished speaking.  

Matt shook his head, amused, and clearly happy.

“Seriously, though,” Tony began, looking a bit uncomfortable with his own sentimentality, “I know I tried to convince you not to do this, not for me, but… thank you... for the identity stuff and for the rest,” he said, voice dripping with sincerity and relief.

Suddenly, Matt’s wounded duck face was out in full force, and he pulled Tony roughly into a hug. Tony clung onto him for a short while, before becoming uncomfortable with the display of vulnerability and pulling back. 

“So, about those T-Shirts: Do you think Foggy would--”

But that was the last Steve and Natasha heard, because Thor suddenly appeared, bodily pushing them back from the trio.

“Do not interrupt friend Stark’s tender moment,” Thor said, or more nearly, threatened.

“Thor,” Steve started, surprised, “We just wanted to--”

“Nope, stop right there, old man,” Quill, who was shadowing Thor, said.

“Let me--”

Drax stepped up beside Thor, in a silent show of support. Across the room with T'Challa, Okoye silently directed the Dora Milaje to be prepared to strike.

“No, we don’t need to, ‘let you,’ anything.” Quill said, “ _You_ need to let _him_ have this. You tried to take everything from him, but we gave it all back, so _you will let him have this_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'VE NEVER HAD TO DO SO MUCH RESEARCH FOR T H R E E LINES OF DIALOGUE IN MY ENTIRE LIFE:  
> -emergency/temporary restraining order=you are a victim of domestic abuse or you live/lived in the same residence as abuser/attacker.  
> -permanent restraining order=granted after a divorce/criminal case, after the person is charged.  
> -obstruction of justice charge=not reporting the evidence that the winter soldier murdered Tony's parents.  
> -Siberia->aggravated assault= with a deadly weapon (shield) & attempted murder. Not overcharging bc Steve went for the arc reactor=intent to kill.  
> I almost didn't bring up charging Steve at all bc I didn't want to drag Bucky Bear into it, but I figure he pleads brainwashing and gets help.  
> THIS IS THE LONGEST END NOTE EVER  
> Petey's speech is based off his and Tony's speeches in Civil War #2, or on page 127 in the novelization. I'm not linking to the panel b/c I was worried abt copyright, but a quick google will bring it up if you're interested. How Matt handles his identity reveal is inspired by when he moves to San Fran in the comics and his look is based on [the mattdevil look](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/2/27/Daredevil_Vol_4_17_Textless.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20150427230118) from that same time.  
> I HAVE 20 TABS OPEN FOR THIS ONE CHAPTER I HOPE IT WAS WORTH IT.


	5. you're the one (i can't ignore)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You told me, once,” Charles began at last, “that you thought this place was a beacon for the future, an example for the world to follow... But, Tony, I didn’t build this on my own.”  
> He paused, looking over the grounds.  
> “I did it with Erik.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My posting schedule has gotten erratic because I keep doing a lot of editing... After I edited/rewrote the last chapter, I needed to think on this one for a while to re-balance the story. After the last chapter, the story became too angry and not enough about healing, but, it's okay, Charles to the rescue! Hope you enjoy the last chapter before the wrap up!

The morning had been overcast, but when they reached Westchester, the sun shone warmly, glinting on the metal gate of Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters.  

“Stop the car,” Tony said, grinning, as he saw a group of people who had done the same, simply pulling over to greet those they hadn’t seen in years.

Tony jumped out, pulling Peter, whom he had been sharing the back seat with, out after him. He popped open Stephen’s door, gesturing for him to follow.

“Charles!” he exclaimed, as they began to near the gathering.

The Professor spun his chair around quickly, a sincere smile taking over his face.

“Tony,” he greeted, as Tony leaned in to embrace him.

After he pulled back, he stuck a hand out to Hank.

“It’s good to finally meet you, Mr. McCoy. Matt says your input has been invaluable.”

“You, too, Mr. Stark,” he replied, dodging accepting the compliment.

Tony turned a speculative eye to others in the group, gazing over them judgmentally.  He opened his mouth, likely to say something scathing, but Charles jumped in first.

“This is Erik Lensherr, and this is my sister, Mystique,” he introduced, with confidence, not tripping over the name Mystique but also unyielding on the point of, ‘my sister.’

A moment of silence passed, while Tony and Charles had a silent conversation, either telepathically, or simply through body language.

“Be nice, Tony,” he said, as if reiterating a point, “You asked me to invite them, after all.”

Tony considered for a moment, lips pressed together tightly.

“As a businessman. I invited them because it’s best for negotiations. As your friend, Charles, it’s a little harder to stomach.”

Before Charles could reply, the were interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. The former Avengers, seemingly unable to keep their noses out of Tony’s business, had come to join them. Out of the corner of his eye, Tony spotted T’Challa following them, the Dora Milaje shadowing him. Tony’s nervousness at the former Avenger’s approach lessened, if only slightly, with the knowledge that the Dora were there to protect him. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust them, didn’t know The Dora, or even Stephen, or Charles, or Peter, or so many others would protect him from Steve-- the fear was just _there_. He couldn’t stop it, couldn’t quell it, any more than he could stop the Earth from turning.

“I could say the same to you, Tony. I’m not overly comfortable with them being here, as your friend or as the headmaster of this school,” Charles said, looking the former Avengers in the eye, acknowledging them, though he was addressing Tony.

“Sir, we have no ill intent towards you or your students--” Steve began.

“I should hope not,” Charles cut him off, sharply.

“As is any of us would stand a chance if you decided to stop us, Prof,” Tony said, reminding himself as much as he was making a point, “but if I’m not allowed to fight with your exes, you can’t fight with mine,” Tony joked, all fake bravado and snark.

“touché,” Charles said, looking contemplative.

Charles studied Tony for a moment, and took in the tense lines of his body, the way his hands were hidden from view, likely to conceal their shaking. Charles always had a constant awareness of the minds of those he cared about, much like one had the awareness of a limb, so although he was not actively reading Tony’s mind, he could feel his thoughts rushing through the air, on alert. Tony was panicking.  

“Hank,” Charles began, slowly, as if trying not to startle anyone, “will you please show the brotherhood and the former Avengers into the mansion. I’m going to show Tony around the grounds.”

It was very obviously an excuse for, _I need to talk to Tony in private_ , but Hank didn’t seem to mind.

“Of course, Professor,” he replied.

In lieu of agreement, Tony tapped his earpiece twice, connecting him to Hope, who had pulled over the line of cars, but not emerged herself.

“Hope, follow McCoy and help him corral team cap,” Tony said.

Alex Summers, who had, at some point, snatched Peter from Tony’s side to have a conversation, and now had an arm tossed around the young hero’s shoulder, spoke up.

“Tell the New Avengers they can stick with me, Prof.”

“Thank you, Alex,” Charles said kindly, before turning towards the grass, “Tony, if you would?” he asked.

“Do you need help?” Erik asked, raising a hand to lift his chair safely onto the grass before he was given an answer.

Before he could, though, Tony tapped twice on his chest, causing nano-bots to swarm out. With a  wave of his hand, he assembled a small propulsion and stabilisation system, which attached itself  to Charles’ chair.

“He asked me, Magneto,” he began, voice cold, “and take that goddamned helmet off before someone realizes you think, ‘Mutant Pride’ only applies when it benefits you,” Tony snapped.

Tony walked briskly over to Peter, straightening his mask-- still the old one, from earlier that morning, but now paired with more casual clothes, since his speech was over-- and fidgeted with his shirt collar.  

“Stay with Alex and see what you think of this place. I thought you might like to spend a few weeks here this summer,” Tony mentioned.

“Really? Wicked!” Peter replied, turning to offer a fist bump to Alex, who humored him by returning it.

Tony huffed a laugh at the boys antics, despite his distress, before walking back over to join Charles.

“C’mon, Xav, before our responsibilities catch up with us,” Tony quipped, only half teasing.

They went in silence for a moment, both struggling not to look back to watch the movements of their respective teams, Charles leading them towards the lake.

“You told me, once,” Charles began at last, “that you thought this place was a beacon for the future, an example for the world to follow.”

“It is,” Tony agreed, taking a breath, trying to calm himself.

“But, Tony, I didn’t build this on my own.”

He paused, looking over the grounds.

“I did it with Erik.”

Tony looked ready to deny it, to shake his head, to say Charles built the school out of the ash that the brotherhood left behind, that he gave it everything that mattered.

“It’s true. We built the foundations of this place together, and even after he tried destroy it, what I built back still had both of us at the center…”

He turned to look at Tony now, an intensity and faith in his eyes that was uniquely Charles.

“Don’t mistake that to mean your situation is the same. There are similarities, and I am grateful for them, because they let us understand each other, but our solutions are not the same. I built a place for the brotherhood, for Erik and Raven, into my new life, because my mission will always be stronger with them, and _I_ will always be stronger with them… The New Avengers make you stronger, Tony, they are your greatest achievement, not the team you built in the past.”

Tony looked away from him. The lines of his body were tense, his fists clenched in stress.

“What am I supposed to do then?”

Charles followed Tony’s line of sight, taking in the sun striking the grass, and the stillness of the water.

“Why do you support the accords, Tony?” Charles asked, though, after months of working with Tony to carefully organize negotiations, pulling strings behind the scenes to make sure things went their way, Charles understood Tony’s reasons.

But he also knew Tony needed to say it.

“How could I do anything else?” he suddenly exploded, “accountability is all I’ve ever stood for, ever since Afghanistan. How does no one get that?”

Tony was nearly yelling, but his anger wasn’t at him, Charles knew.

“People understand, Tony. They know you are trying to be better. There are people who have been with you from the beginning. The public has been watching you since you took on this mission, they know you are standing up for them. After Matt and Peter’s speeches, mutant and human communities alike know that the New Avengers will protect them. So who are you really angry at?”

At this, Tony seemed to deflate, he was still angry, but he was also so _goddamn tired._

“I wish it had never happened. That, maybe we’d fought and won the battle of New York, but that we never came together.”

Charles made a noise that suggested he didn’t quite believe him, before turning to look back towards the way they had come.

“Peter wants to speak to you. Shall I summon him?” Charles inquired.

Tony had gotten the impression they were in the middle of a conversation, but agreed nonetheless. Charles was usually right about these sorts of things.

“Mr. Stark! Do you mind if Alex shows me the training rooms later?” Peter asked when he arrived, all enthusiasm.

“Of course, kid,” Tony said, voice bland, “Thanks for asking first. Just stay safe, alright? And don’t spar with anyone too high above your power level.”

Peter didn’t reply, studying Tony carefully, eyes flitting back and forth between him and Charles.

“Are you okay, Mr. Stark?”

Tony gave a huff, trying to play it off.

“Yeah, kid. Charlie here is just badgering me, nothing I can’t handle.”

Peter looked to Charles, asking him to elaborate.

“Your mentor was just telling me that he wishes the original team had never existed.”

Without even pausing to consider, Peter was shaking his head is disagreement.

“No, you don’t. You wouldn’t be here without them,” Peter said, as if it was just a statement of fact.

Tony tensed again.

“I was about to say the same,” Charles said to Peter, and for Tony that seemed to be the final straw.

“Yeah, I know, we saved a lot of people. We saved the world. But for just this once, can’t I be selfish? Can’t I say that I _hate_ them? That I hate what the _did to me_?”

Peter shook his head again, quickly, reaching forward to take Tony’s arm, to ground him.

“That’s not what I’m saying!” he began, almost panicked, but then calmed aas Tony eased at his reassurance, waiting for an explanation, “I mean, you wouldn’t be _here_ without them. Maybe _I’m_ the one being selfish, but everything you went through got you here. And, I’m-- what I mean is I--”

Peter was stuttering, unsure, and  hoping Tony would fill in the blanks for himself. But he didn’t. So Peter went on.

“If it weren’t for the Avengers, I would never have met you. There never would have been a New Avengers. I wouldn’t even be here now. In my mind, everything, all of it, was worth it… And…” he said, becoming more soft, “You don’t hate them.”

Tony was still not meeting his eyes, but he shook his head, almost imperceptibly.

“Maybe they never felt them same way, but that doesn’t change that to you they were family.  It doesn’t mean you forgive them, but you can’t just not feel,” Peter said, his eyes getting watery, “All of us see it, it’s why we work so hard to protect you from them,” Peter shook his head, “They don’t deserve you. But you still love them. And that sucks, and they don’t deserve it,” he repeated, vehemently, “But it’s still how you feel, and that’s okay. And you have us, your team, to protect you. We _know_ you are our family.”

Tony silently pulled the kid in for a one armed hug, burying his face if the boy’s hair and making eye contact with Charles.

“What am I supposed to do?” Tony repeated the question from earlier, this time somehow even more exposed and vulnerable.

Charles took in the pair, the way the boys shoulders heaved, just barely,  and they way Tony’s hands shook, now unhidden, plain to see.

“Make peace,” the Professor answered.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later, when Tony and Charles entered the mansion after their discussion, it was to find the Brotherhood squaring off with the four former Avengers. Tony was surprised to see all four of them together-- lately, Wanda and Sam had stayed relatively away from Steve and Natasha, but it seemed pissing off a super villain was a unifying force. Or, that they had unified with the purpose of pissing off a super villain. It was unclear.

Steve was yelling, forceful speech filled with buzz words, that mostly came off as gibberish to Tony, who had walked into the middle of the conversation.

By all outside accounts, Erik and Steve were technically on the same side, both wanting the accords to be as weak as possible, if they had to exist at all. Tony, though, understood the nuance of the situation. He knew that Magneto, quite frankly, didn’t give a rat's ass about superheroes-- he cared about what the accords could represent for mutant kind, a precedent for some kind of registration act. It was the same idea Tony had worried about, but he had taken an appeasement and negotiations approach, while Magneto was more of an all-or-nothing, any-means-necessary sort of guy. Steve, on the other hand, recognized no such danger. He only saw people trying to take away his power, only thought, ‘the safest hands are still our own.’ But still, Tony had expected them to work together, at least partly, in an effort to weaken the accords.

Tony could very honestly say this was the last thing he expected.

Steve was still yelling, now stalking up to Magneto, looking ready for a fight. Thankfully, Charles intervened before one could break out.

_“Enough!”_ Charles projected in everyone’s minds, causing the room to fall silent.

“They don’t even understand the threat facing our people, Charles. Their arguments will only serve to strengthen the accords, and give those of us with legitimate reasons to argue against them a bad name. Mutant kind--” he said, cutting off when Charles spoke directly into his mind.

_“We will keep them safe. All of them.”_

Tony, unknowingly, echoed this exact sentiment aloud.

“Everyone will be protected under the Accords, Magneto, or I’ll be going super villian right along with you.”

Erik looked at him speculatively, considering the barely concealed threat in his voice. He nodded.

“Idiots, all of them,” Erik said, this time to Tony as well as Charles.

Tony studied him, his guarded eyes, and aggravated, but not violent, posture. He had taken off the helmet sometime after Tony’s remark, and it opened up his expression. He looked rather like a worn-out teacher, or a disgruntled father.  It was a look Tony had grown used to seeing on Charles.

Tony barely held down a laugh.

“You know, Erik, I think you and I will get along just fine after all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Charles and Peter rlly love to take over my fics and turn them into sappy exposition-y think pieces.  
> The beginning of the next chapter, along with the dog scene in the first chapter, are my bbys and I hope you love them as much as I do.  
> RE: You know the drill at this point  
> I'm still writing alternate endings, which will be posted in a separate work where each chapter is a different ship and each ending is labeled with the ship included in that ending. At this point, with about 33 votes, Stephen/Tony will likely be the uncontested champion, and will therefore be the ending included in chapter 6! The second place spot is a tie between Loki/Tony, and Tony/Everyone ( I haven't written these two yet, though I do plan too, they might just take a lil bit to get done). Beyond that, the Loki/Tony/Stephen, Tony/Thor, and Tony/Peter (Quill) endings are already written and will definitely be published.!  
> Love You!


	6. but real love (is never a waste of time)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “As I look over the faces in this room, I have double vision. I see the bright future we are hoping to build, that Charles has already begun, but… I also see the ruins of the things I haven’t yet laid to rest."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't seen Iron Man 1 in a while, I'd recommend watching this [speech](https://youtu.be/ktT-81dDrwE?t=1m33s) before you read this chapter.  
> This is it, guys! Love you!

“I’m not the best at speeches, that’s a matter of public record,” Tony began, walking out onto the speakers platform, “but I’m trying to do better right now, in a lot of ways, so why not this too?”

He paused, taking in the setup of Westchester's largest lecture hall. Much like the UN, the main voices of the negotiations were spread out around the edges, at a circular table, all on the same level. Directly in front of Tony was a moderately sized crowd of press-- they would be relocated to outside of the table, before negotiations, but for now, they were front and center. For about three yards in front of the stage, there sat empty chairs, and behind that,  a barrier holding back the press, just as Tony had requested. For once, he had planned his stunt in advance. He’d even gotten Matt to approve of it.

“Who saw my B.A.R.F speech? That one was a bit of a mess, right? Or what about, ‘I am Iron Man,’ everyone knows that one. Remember this?” he asked, miming throwing away cards.

He surveyed the crowd of press, studying their faces, remembering… He visibly sobered, and let the crowd take in his shift in mood.

“What about when I ended SI weapons manufacturing? That was different, wasn’t it?”

Many remained silent, but a handful of people laughed, exactly as Tony had hoped.

“There are my people! Raise your hand if you were there that day.”

About fifteen hands raised among the press.

“Alright, let them through. These are you elders, people, show some respect,” he addressed the younger of the press, who seemed disgruntled to move from the front-row positions they had fought for.

“Just duck under the barrier, it’s fine, I got this all approved. Why don’t you all sit down? You can see me, and I can see you. It’ll all be a little less formal,” he echoed, raising a laugh from the fifteen members of the press who were now taking their seats.

Tony himself moved to sit, legs dangling off the stage.

“Look, I even got you chairs this time. And I have a mic,” he said, happily patting  the wireless mic he had made to work in conjunction with his normal ear piece.

He looked at the small congregation before him, at the people who had truly witnessed his whole journey. Rhodey and Pepper were off recovering and running SI, respectively, and the only other person who had been there, who should be here was… well, Tony didn’t even know if he was alive at this point. Regardless, Charles had been right, it was nice to see the faces of the public who had seen him grow-- who had grown with him.

“I’m seeing a lot a grey hair and laugh lines; what’s happening to us? Are we getting old?” He asked, putting on a show of being scandalized, as if he was just having a chat with old friends, “I see a few new wedding rings, too. I bet some of you have kids now, huh?”

A few nodded in response. Tony grinned broadly.

“You see Spider-Man’s speech yesterday?” he asked, seemingly non-sequitur to some, but the connection was made clear by the pride in his voice, “He’s better than I’ll ever be, but I figured, if he’s looking up to me, I’ve at least got to _try_ …”

Tony took a breath, and then began to speak in earnest.

“As I look over the faces in this room, I have double vision. I see the bright future we are hoping to build, that Charles has already begun, but… I also see the ruins of the things I haven’t yet laid to rest.

Ten years ago, I sat with you and said that I had become comfortable within a system of zero accountability, and I’m here today to reiterate that same sentiment. But, today, the solution is not to shut down weapons manufacturing. Instead, it is to calmly _negotiate_ and carefully _regulate_ , until the team that’s left is a team that you can trust.

 Some of you may know that I was never recommended for the Avengers Initiative. I had to fight to even get my spot on the team. ‘Iron Man: Yes, Tony Stark: not recommended.’ And yet, I still believed in it, I dedicated my time, my resources, my _life_ to the Avengers Initiative. The events of Siberia are a matter of public record, now, and looking back on that, and six years filled with smaller instances along that same vein, I can’t help but wonder why I did it in the first place. I can’t help but wonder if it was worth it.”

Tony made eye contact with those sat in front of him, as if actually waiting for an answer, though he was not. He took a deep breath.

“But then I see the New Avengers. I have to chase Spider-Man’s dog through the compound with Doctor Strange, or I watch DareDevil make up with his partner, I turn a gala into a family reunion when the Revengers and the Guardians finally come home, I cry in front on the press because I’m so proud of my protégé, or I see hope in the Professor and Magneto that maybe, if we work at it, we can compromise. And I know that we were on our way to something more, on our way to this, all along.”

Tony shifted, and stood, now addressing the whole room. His voice was strong, and his movements were fluid.

“Sometimes I wish there was never an idea to bring together a remarkable group of people. I wish I had never come to know Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanov, and Clint Barton, or even Bruce Banner, and Thor Odinson, as comrades, as family.  But, here, today, I don’t regret it. With the future I see before us, of a team that you can trust in, even in the dark times that are fast approaching, I know that I would do it all again just to get here.”

He made his way to the center of the stage, finally coming to stand behind the podium.

“Sometimes I wish we had never formed the Avengers Initiative. But then, I hear Nick Fury’s voice in my head. He said that there was an idea, but that wasn’t the end of it.  He said, ‘There was an idea to bring together a remarkable group of people, see if they could become something more. See if they could come together when we needed them, to fight the battles we never could.’

It took us six years, but today we’ve finally come together to become something more, something you can trust.”

Tony looked out, catching the gazes of his team. A smile crept onto his face, and he looked back to the crowd, to the negotiators and the press alike, but also to Steve, and Natasha, and everything he had left behind to get where he was now.

“Thank you.”

* * *

 

 It was evening, but the summer sun still lit the Westchester courtyard. Alex, Peter, and Wade had started a game of volleyball, pulling most of the gathered heroes into the game. Teams of three were rotating in and out, the loser surrendering the court to the next team, who would take on the winners. It had gotten aggressive quickly, and Tony watched on in amusement, leaning against Charles’ chair from his spot in the grass.

He watched Peter leap up for a spike, jumping farther above the net than was strictly necessary, when Charles suddenly startled. Tony turned, planning to see what caught his attention, but stopped when Charles spoke.

“I’ll leave you to it, I think. Best of luck,” he said, awkwardly patting Tony’s head, and then rolling away.

“What was that about?” Tony wondered, aloud.

“Likely my fault,” Stephen replied, as he suddenly sat down next to Tony.

Tony said nothing, waiting for him to explain.

“I’m glad to see you well… your speech today…” Stephen began, uncharacteristically unsure.

Tony nodded.

“Charles helped. I was already getting better, thanks to you… uh… all of you,” he said, pink dusting over his cheeks at his slip-up, “But Charles has a certain type a genius that I’ll never have. He reminded me of things that I already knew, said what I needed to hear… He’s a good friend…”

“Just a friend?” Stephen questioned, jealousy completely unmasked.

Tony rolled his eyes.

“Yes, you idiot. This is why the others tease you, you know. There’s no reason to get so jealous.”

“Isn’t there?” Stephen questioned.

“ _This is why they tease you_ , Stephen,” he reiterated, “Most of them only flirt with me to rile you up.”

“Most of them?”

Tony huffed in annoyance, but it was too fond to be overly convincing.

“You have nothing to worry about,” Tony repeated.

Stephen nodded, obviously trying to accept his words, but his face was still stormy.

“Hey,” Tony said, softly, waiting to continue until Stephen turned to him.

Stephen turned, obviously trying to hide his emotions, but his eyes were vulnerable and hurt.  

“I believe in magic, for you. I spend as much time at the Sanctum as I do at the Compound. I get along with your friends. We have a _dog_. If you want this,” he said, gesturing to himself and attempting to sound teasing, “you’ve got it. Just ask.”

The world was still for a moment, before Tony was pulled into a searing kiss. Tony responded immediately, but then retreated, his face hovering just inches away from Stephen's.

“You didn’t ask,” Tony snarked, barely a whisper.

“I got the impression you had already given me your answer,” Stephen retorted.

Tony smiled softly and wrapped an arm around Stephen’s back, moving closer until he was nearly in the taller man’s lap. When Tony pulled him into a kiss, it was just as fierce as the last, and he was lost in it. There was the sound of running footsteps, likely Wade running to cover Peter’s eyes. A jovial laugh, Thor’s certainly, rang through the air. Jessica wolf whistled. Tony didn’t notice.

“Everyone owes me money!” Peter’s voice called.

That, Tony did notice. He pulled back, laughing. But, he didn’t look away from Stephen. Not yet.

“I didn’t ask, either,” Tony quipped, as if this was some sort of retribution.

“And you never need to, my love. For you, the answer will always be yes,” Stephen said, “ Yes, always, whatever you wish.”

* * *

 

The sun was setting. Steve and Natasha were about to leave Westchester for the night, to rest before negotiations continued the next day, when they spotted them.

Natasha took in the group of heroes, New Avengers, Guardians, Defenders, Revengers, and X-Men alike. There were so many of them, so comfortable together. They moved as if one being, spoke as if they already knew what the others would say. She saw two figures, sat together in the grass, silhouetted against Westchester’s evening light, and, for the first time, she understood.

Natasha flashed back eight years, to heavy metals and desperation, to a report that she had begun to think, for the first time in her career, might have been  wrong. She remembered the small moments. When Bruce would make curry, a homesick look in his eye. Clint would bring his dog, like he just might share his life with them. Steve would say grace, an accent thought long gone tainting his voice. Thor would tell stories of the stars, comfortable enough not to censor out the brother he had traveled them with. And Tony… Tony  would welcome them into his home, invite them to sit at his table, and serve coffee after their meal, sharing his own traditions.

At last, Natasha realized that what she had lost was exactly what she saw in the team before her: a family.

Natasha understood.

Steve, however, did not. He made as if to approach the New Avengers, to start something, to start another fight.

Natasha reached out and grabbed his arm, more rough than was strictly necessary.

“No, Steve,” she said, pulling him away, “just let him have this.”  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's a wrap!  
> Did you like it? Are you satisfied with the ending?  
> Anyone catch the tiny invasion of my Italian!Tony headcanon? I didn't plan it, it just happened.  
> Thank you to everyone who left kind comments... my posting habits are erratic but without you, I would probably never post at all.  
> Alternate endings will be posted soon! I'll be out of town (without internet) next week, but I'm hoping to at least get one ending posted before I leave.  
> It's been fun, y'all. XOXO


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